Hamilton Chicago vs. Hamilton Broadway
What is the difference between Hamilton Chicago and the Hamilton currently playing on Broadway in New York? There are some general differences between a Broadway show and a traveling Broadway show which apply to this production as well which I cover in another article. Touring Broadway Shows vs Shows on Broadway. I’ll cover the specifics of this show below.
The Actors are different
Hamilton Chicago and the Hamilton in New York on Broadway are very similar. Both productions of Hamilton are the same musical so it will be exactly the same show content written by Lin Manuel Miranda. So what’s different? To start, the actors are different of course. Hamilton is still running on Broadway and people can’t be in two cities at the same time. When we think about this difference it is important to note that the original cast of Hamilton on Broadway has changed significantly since July of 2016. In July many original cast members left the show.
Hamilton Chicago’s biggest change vs. Hamilton Broadway.
The biggest change of course is Lin Manuel Miranda, the writer and creator of Hamilton, is no longer playing the lead role. He has been replaced by Javier Munoz an extraordinary actor in his own right. Many of the leading actors on the Broadway show have also moved on to other opportunities so even seeing the show on Broadway now will be different as far as the cast or sound a bit different from the original cast album which I am sure many of you have listened to. So even if you attended the show in New York you would think it sounds a bit different than the album.
Chicago Hamilton is an exception to the rule
Normally traveling Broadway shows use talented and capable actors but contain only a few stars and the set since it has to travel is less elaborate than a set that is built to stay in one place. However, I believe that the Chicago Hamilton production is an exception it is simply packed with talent. First of all, the lead role of Hamilton is being played by actor, Miguel Cervantes who is a Broadway actor with credits in “If/Then” and “American Idiot” among others. The role of Angelica Schuyler is being played by Karen Olivio who also played in Lin Manuel Miranda’s other Broadway play “In the Heights” and is a Tony award winner. The rest of the cast is amazing and talented and this is a show that will not disappoint.
I also wouldn’t be surprised if Lin Manuel Miranda made an appearance in Hamilton Chicago at some point as a surprise. He already showed up on opening night so it wouldn’t be a huge leap if he was back again. I have seen him there in the rehearsals on his twitter feed so who knows he may pop in several times throughout this run. So who knows if we are lucky he may show up when you are there.
The set will be different
The set also looks top notch. David Korins who is a top notch designer did something new and exciting with the Hamilton set design and from the pictures I have seen it is amazing. You can read more about it in this Sun Times Article about how great the set is.
As I am sure you know by now Hamilton is not a Broadway show it is a phenomenon. If you are in the Chicago area and want to see Hamilton but aren’t sure of how seeing it away from Broadway would be let me say an emphatic yes to attending. The story is the same, the actors will be top notch and the set will be amazing so there is no reason this production could not stand on its own on Broadway.
As always if you need tickets we have them for sale with our 200% guarantee. I also share some tips on how to get tickets to this production on a video here: and talk about the opportunity no one should miss, getting tickets from the productions for $10 or a Hamilton in this article. Enjoy the show.